Taxi fare to increase with or without ministry’s approval: Januarie

WINDHOEK, 10 JUL  – The Namibia Transport and Taxi Union (NTTU) plans to increase the taxi fare with its preferred 50 per cent, irrespective of whether the Ministry of Works and Transport approves it or not.
In an interview with Nampa on Monday, NTTU president Werner Januarie said the union has put a strategy in place to attain this implementation, despite the back and forth tugging between the ministry and union.
“We believe that we have good grounds to make a case out of exceptional circumstances, because the law has also made provisions for such circumstances,” he said.
The union has been pushing for this increment since last month after fuel prices increased for the third time this year. Diesel and petrol increased in May, June and July, while in April diesel in all grades increased and petrol remained unchanged.
In a recent statement to the media, the NTTU president said the union’s members have requested for another meeting on 15 July in order to decide on the 50 per cent taxi increment and hopefully, implement it come 01 September.
According to Januarie, although transporters have acknowledged government’s Transport Act of 1977, which stipulates that taxi fare may only increase with 10 per cent at a time, NTTU cannot compromise on their own well-being and interests.
“Apart from the fuel increase, the economy has also become tough now and we are equally affected by it, hence the decision to take this matter in our own hands,” added Januarie.
The proposed increment would see commuters paying a minimum of N.dollars 15 per trip.
The last taxi fare increase was in 2014 when sister association, the Namibia Bus and Taxi Association (Nabta) increased the fare from N.dollars 9 to N.dollars 10 per trip after government’s approval.
(NAMPA)